Category Archives: sketch

More than Wood: Black Walnut Season

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Dave Fisher

You’ve got to watch your head walking around here in October as the black walnut trees drop their heavy fruits. A walk is accompanied by a chorus of soft plinks and solid thunks. The plinks are acorns, the thunks are … Continue reading →

Posted in historical reference, nature, quotes and excerpts, sketch, trees, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Walnut Tray/Bowl with Tree Footnotes

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Dave Fisher

When I finished carving this walnut tray/bowl last week, I had no particular plans for the foot. As I looked at the broad canvas of walnut wood, an idea came to mind for a representation of forest trees rooted along … Continue reading →

Posted in paint, patterns, sketch, trees, Uncategorized, walnut | 15 Comments

Birds, Birds, Birds

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Dave Fisher

What’s the matter with me? I… I got to get birds off my mind. Maybe I’ll take up a hobby. — Sylvester The Cat (Mel Blanc) in Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie (1981) My workbench has looked like a … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, design, quotes and excerpts, sketch, tools, Uncategorized, workshop | Tagged | 14 Comments

A Pair of Walnut Bowls (From a Plank)

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I carved these two walnut bowls from a radially-split piece of fresh black walnut, but the design is well suited to be carved from any 2″ thick plank of wood. Compared to my usual Bowl from a Plank, I guess … Continue reading →

Posted in finding wood, layout, patterns, plans, sketch, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

A Poem

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Dave Fisher

My paternal grandmother kept for decades a tattered scrapbook of poems she had clipped from magazines as a girl in a little coal mining town. Later in life, she and my grandfather would visit nursing homes to offer some entertainment … Continue reading →

Posted in quotes and excerpts, sketch, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Adze Geometry Addition

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Dave Fisher

In my “Bowl Adze Primer” article (Part of the Adze Owner’s Manual materials), I discuss adze bevel geometry. After receiving a good question via email yesterday, I’ve just added this illustration to clarify the geometry that has worked well for … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, sketch, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Adze Owner’s Manual

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Dave Fisher

This idea was sparked a few months ago when I restored an adze. The owner wanted a new handle and some edge reshaping. The head was made by Hans Karlsson. The owner purchased it a couple decades ago from Country … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, classes, publications, sketch, tools, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

Fall Fluttering

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Dave Fisher

My workshop is our attached garage at one end of the house. While it’s not an idyllic cabin-shop among the trees, I did get pretty lucky that there is a grove of quaking aspens just outside one window. For much … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, quotes and excerpts, sketch, trees, Uncategorized, video, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

A Couple Announcements

Posted on November 2, 2024 by Dave Fisher

For those of you interested in an axe and/or a couple exhibitions of wood art in Philly, read on. First, a few months ago, Robin Wood sent an axe to me to try out and provide him with some feedback. … Continue reading →

Posted in sketch, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Silly Putty Cherry Bowl… and Three Spoons

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Dave Fisher

What I make is usually dependent on what bits of tree become available. Responding to each piece is a fun challenge. When I checked out a small cherry tree that had fallen over in a yard, it had already been … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, patterns, proportions, sketch, spoons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments